Newspaper intaglio perfecting press



June 24, 1941. 1. GURWICK NEWSPAPER INTAGLIO PERFECTING PRESS Filed Jan. 21, 1938 mm cHfw Ua/m hi wfl Patented June 24, 1941 NE WSPAPER IN TAGLIO PERFECTING PRESS Irving Gurwick, Mount Vernon, Ohio, assignor to 'Shellmar Products Company, Mount Vernon, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application January 21, 1938, Serial No. 186,050

2 Claims- The present invention relates to an improved intaglio printing press of the perfecting type, in which a continuous web is printed on both sides and folded into a newspaper or the like, and has for a principal object the provision of a multicolor intaglio perfecting printing press in which there is practically no dead web space.

An additional object ofthe invention is to provide a multi-color intaglio perfecting press for newspaper work,. in which compactness is achieved with an increased printing efficiency.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a perfecting intaglio printing press which will operate at high speed and by which it is possible to obtain particularly desirable results from the standpoint of registration of colors or designs.

Still another object of the invention is the pro- I vision of a perfecting intaglio printing press in which the initial color is printed on one side of the web and thereafter the second color is printed on the opposite side of the web, this procedure being repeated through a series of printing units in which different colors or designs on the same side of the web are in registration and the web is progressed alternately below the printing units and above the printing units.

These and other objects of the invention will be observed from a-cons ideration of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic view of a perfecting press constructed in accordance with the invention and showing various types of colorapplying units which may be used in the device; and

Fig. 2 is a schematic view somewhat similar to that of Fig. 1 andshowing an alternate type of printing assembly.

In intaglio printing machines the web to be printed or decorated generally is passed through a series of multi-color units in each of which an etched cylinder travels in a color bath and'deposits upon the web a quick-drying ink. As it is necessary for the web to dry before it reaches the next adjacent color unit to prevent offset, there is required a certain distance between the color units wherein the volatile solvents of the ink can evaporate. Various schemes of leading the web through intaglio presses have been suggested but these schemes involve dead web space and other objections which are remedied by the present invention. Any undue web travel through the press results in complications from the standpoint of registration of the colors. It also reout the freshly printed side of the web having contacted a roller or guide member. Then, the web is printed on the opposite side and againis carried over a circuitous route to the next adjacent color without the printed side of the web coming in contact with a roller or guide member. The third color is deposited upon the side of the web upon which the first color was-deposited and in register with the first design. This type of arrangement is made possible by the use of side mounted impression rollers at least on the color units printing one side of the web. Various types of mechanisms involving the principles of operation very possible and certain constructions are described herein for purposes of illustration and explanation which will pr of the invention. v

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 a web Ill of newspaper material is taken from a roll I I and passed through the initial color unit. This initial color unit consists of an etched intaglio printing cylinder l2 which rotates in a color bath Hi, the latter being provided with a doctor blade I. It

- will be noted that the impression cylinder I5 is mounted on the side of the etched intaglio printing cylinder and that the web it passes between the impression roller and the printing cylinder to provide a downward path of travel during the printing moment. The ink contained in the bath I3 is of the quick-drying intaglio type and may vary in compositions considerably. Ink-s of this sort are well known in the art and it is not thought necessary to refer to them more specifically. It is sufiicient to say that the inks contain highly volatile solvents which after the ink is deposited.on the web will dry or evaporate within a few feet of travel. The particular time of drying will depend upon the speedof the press and the type of ink used. Between the doctor blade I and the impression cylinder l5 there extends a guard member or hood l6 which has a flexible tail member "sealing the guard memher to the doctor blade. The guard member I8 is spaced from the printing cylinder andacts to ovide an understanding y no dead web between the first two colors.

the roller 23.

printing cylinder reaches the web to be printed the ink deposited on the cylinder is sufliciently;

liquid to insure a clear-cut deposit.

After the web l passes through the initial printing unit it continues its downward path of travel about a drum i8. This drum may, if desired, be heated and generally there will be provided some sort of air-blowing device to increase the speed of evaporation of the solvent from the ink as the web passes between colors, thereby cutting down the drying space required. From the drum I8 the web passes upwardly about two idlers I9 and 20 which carry the web above and around the second printing unit.

The second printing unit is a duplication of I the first printing unit except that it is complementary or oppositely positioned. The etched cylinder l2 of the second unit rotates in the opposite direction from the corresponding unit of the first cylinder, and the impression cylinder l of the second unit is oppositely mounted with respect to the impression cylinder of the first unit, as will be seen in the drawing, The first time that the freshly printed side of the web l0 contacts with a roller or guide member is when the web passes beneath the impression cylinder. l5 of the second unit. The second printdistance between the two units is sufficient to effect complete drying.

The second impression cylinder I5 likewise is mounted on the side of the printing cylinder and after the web is printed with the second color it passes about the idler 2| and upwardly around the second or upper drum-22. Drum 22 may be heated as stated with respect todrum l8 and there generally will be provided a drying blast of air atthis point. After the web passes about drum 22 it is taken to the first color about Roller 23 contacts the dry side of the web and the portion of the web which carries the second color does not contact the roller guide until the third color is deposited on the Web.

Various types of color units may be used in the improved press and in showing the third color there has been illustrated a type of intaglio printing unit which is somewhat different from the units composing the first-and second colors. The third color unit consists of a printing cylinder 24 which rotates in the same direction as Y the printing cylinder of the first color unit as shown by the arrow. Cylinder 2 4-has an impression cylinder 25 mounted on its side so that the printing contact again is on the side of the printing cylinder during the downward path of travel of the web [8. The ink for cylinder 24 is supplied from a tank 26. A pump (not shown) transfers the intaglio ink from tank 26 through lines 21 to an open trough 28 adjacent the printing cylinder. The lower edge of trough 28 is spaced fromthe printing cylinder a few thou- The sandths of an inch so that the entire cylinder is covered withman even coating of the intaglio ink. It will be noted that the trough 28 is close to the impression cylinder 25 so that little distance is afforded between the impression cylinder and the ink fountain in which the color can dry on the cylinder. A lower pan 29 extends from the trough 28 to the opposite side of the printing cylinder where there is positioned a doctor blade 30. This pan constitutes an ink basin and causes the return of excess ink from the cylinder to the tank 26 through line 3|. Ink scraped by the cylinder 38 also may be returned to the tank 26 through the line 32. An evaporation shield 33 extends from the doctor blade 30 to a point closely adjacent the impression roller 25 in spaced relation with respect to the printing cylinder. In this type of an intaglio printing unit it will be seen that there is very little opportunity afforded the escape of solvent from the printing cylinder. The line 21 transfers excess ink into the trough 28 so that the ink spreads completely across the length ofthe printing cylinder.

From the third printing unit the Web ID passes downwardly beneath a lower drum 34. This drum is similar to the drum I8. From the drum 34 the web in passes upwardly about a roller 35 and then through another intaglio printing unit which is represented as being a conventional type. This fourth unit consists of a printing cylinder 36 having an impression cylinder 31 mounted directly above it. The cylinder 36 rotates in a color bath 38 and is provided with a doctor blade 39 of the usual type. Again, be-

.tween the third printing unit and the fourth printing unit there is no deadweb space. The side of the web printed by the third color; unit does not contact a roller or guide until it reaches the impression cylinder 31 where the fourth color is deposited on the web in'proper register with the design or color printed :by the second unit.

The web bearing the fourth color passes upwardly about ,a drum 40 which is similar in construction and position to the drum 22. Thereafter the web passes over a series of rollers 4| which preferably are positioned closely enough together to prevent or retard. the weaving of the web in its travel. Rollers 4| conduct the web H] to a fifth color unit which is similar in construction to the initial color unit; Between the fourth color unit and the fifth color unit the printed side of the web does not contact a roller until it reaches the impression cylinder [5 where 'the fifth color is deposited. After the fifth color travel and the impression cylinder is side mountf ed with respect to the printing cylinder. Throughout the entire press there is no dead web space. The third color unit may be accurately registered with respect tothe first color unit and the fourth color unit likewise may be in register with respect to the second color unit. Several types of color units have been illustrated to show that the invention is not confined to the particular type of color-applying mechanism.

The drive for the printing press may be conventional although it is preferred to effect the drive in part by the drums I 8, 22, 34 and 40. In most instances it will be found desirable to overfeed these drums slightly. The frictional contact of the drums with the web is sufficient to produce a carrying eifect of the web through the secutive colors shown are indicated at 52, 53

and 54, respectively. The lower drums between the odd and even number are indicated at 55 while the upper drums between the even and odd color units are indicated at 56.

From the color unit 5|, where the web initially is printed in downwardly traveling position on the side of theprinting cylinder, the web may pass about the first drum 55. In the first position shown the path of travel is somewhat short. Where it is desired to increase the space between the two color units the drum 55 may be shifted along the press to the position shown in dotted lines to provide a longer path of travel for the web. Thus, for a printing cylinder of eight inches diameter and a drum of 40 inches diameter, the first shown position of the drum 55 provides approximately 15 feet of drying space between the first and second color. The other position of the drum 55 three feet additional drying space.

A still different type of color bath is shown for the second color 52. This bath consists of a trough 51 which is supplied with color through the line 58 from tank 59. The lower end of the trough 51 is spaced from the printing cylinder 52 a few thousandths of an inch, as described with respect to the third color unit of Fig. 1, to deposit a layer of ink on the printing cylinder as it rotates. Below trough 57 is a pan 6!! which drains into the tank59. A doctor blade M is positioned closely adjacent the impression roll of the color unit so that there is very little space between the doctor blade and the printing point. This is of advantage in preventing drying of ink on the cylinder between the doctor blade and the point at which the ink is deposited on the" web. A cover 62 may be mounted in spaced relation about the printing cylinder between the impression roller and the trough 51 if it is deprovides approximately Various positions of the upper drum 56 are shown in the drawing and by moving these drums as desired it is-possible to increase or decrease the amount of drying space between the even numbered color units and the odd numbered color units.

In the arrangement of the mechanism as shown in Fig. 2 it is possible to provide a relatively large number of colors in a small space. The dimensions specified herein with respect to the printing cylinder and the drums will provide the press having an overall height of less than 13 or 14 feet and the distance between the color units may be.less than four feet. For a press having eight colors printing four colors on each side of the web, the color units themselves may occupy less than feet, although the length may be greater or less as desired.

The press constructed in accordance with the present invention is considerably more simple than previously known presses and is more ecosired to retard drying of residual ink on the cylinder.

After leaving the second printing unit the web l0 passes around the upper drum 56 and is carried to the third color unit 53. From'the third color unit the web passes about the second drum 55 and then passes through the fourth color unit 54.

nomical of manufacture since a number of parts are eliminated and the size of the press is small. One of the greatest problems in the i taglio printing of newspapers is registration/In the interest of economy it is essential that the press be operated at a rapid rate. Ineach of the designs shown in the drawing it will be noted that the odd numbered color units effect the printing operation while the web is in a downward path of travel. The printing position is on the side of the etched gravure cylinder in the designs in which the color units are in side-by-side relation.

It will be seen that the principle of the invention is applicable to a number of difierent types of construction. All of these various changes and modifications are intended to be included in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an intaglio perfecting press, a plurality of horizontally spaced color units having etched cylinders rotating in alternately reversed direction, an impression roll for each of said cylinders mounted at one side thereof to 'eflect a printing operation on a downwardly travelingweb only at a side contact portion of the cylinder, and means for conveying the web from one cylinder and impression roll to an adjacent cylinder and mvme GURWICK.

printing press, comprising a pluroll providing a printing line at one J 

